Goals & Objectives

How are annual goals developed?
What factors should be considered when determining annual goals for a student?
How are short-term objectives developed?
How can short-term objectives be used to measure progress?
Goals and Objectives Checklist
What if the student has mastered a goal before the end of the school year?
What if the student has failed to reach a goal by the stated time?

The IEP document describes specifically what the student will learn through annual goals and short-term objectives. These include educational/academic goals as well as related service goals.
*How are annual goals developed?*
Long-term goals reflect the prioritized needs of the student and indicate the improvement in learning the student is expected to demonstrate. Goals should challenge the student but be achievable and relevant to the student's needs. They should be stated positively (i.e. what the student will do, not what they will cease doing) and should focus on what will be learned rather than what will be taught.

Some examples are:
James will be able to look up words in a dictionary independently. Jane will increase appropriate classroom participation by raising her hand on average of 2 to 3 times each day. John will use sign language to communicate at least three personal needs, such as: the need for toileting, drinking and eating.

*What factors should be considered when determining annual goals for a student?*	Back to Top
There are a number of factors, including:	*DID YOU KNOW...* No two children, even those with similar abilities and disabilities should have same exact IEP. It is possible, and in fact quite likely that students in the same classroom will have different goals and objectives.
the priorities of the student and parent the age of the student the general education curriculum for their grade level and the appropriateness of the proposed activity the student's past achievement the usefulness of the goal in other settings (i.e. work, home, community) contribution of the skill to the independence, social and career development of the student whether or not there is another way to allow the student to achieve the same result

*How are short-term objectives developed?*
Goals are then broken down into shorter-term objectives which represent the sequential, intermediate steps between the student's present level of performance and the annual goal. Objectives are specific statements that describe observable, measurable behaviors and indicate student progress.

Once an objective is developed, the team must describe how the student will demonstrate that the objective has been achieved.
For example:
Annual Goal: John will demonstrate an understanding of money
*Short-Term Objectives:* Recognize coins by being able to correctly name and give the value of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters in eight out of ten trials. Consistently create equivalent sets of coins of up to $1.00 with a variety of coins. Recognize paper currency and be able to name and give the value of bills in denominations of one, five, ten, twenty, fifty and one hundred. Consistently create equivalent sets of bills up to $ 200.00 Understand the concept of money as a form of exchange by successfully purchasing (and making the correct change) items from the classroom store eight out of ten trials.

*How can short-term objectives be used to measure progress?*	Back to Top
The IEP must include objective criteria and evaluation procedures and schedules for determining whether the short instructional objectives are being achieved.
For example: Annual Goal: David will learn keyboarding skills
*Short -Term Objectives:* By December, David will type a passage of text for 3 minutes at 10 words per minute with not more than 6 errors. By the end of this academic year, David will type a passage of text for 5 minutes at 25 words per minute with not more than 5 errors.

Goals and Objectives Checklist What is to be measured? What behavior is to be changed? What skill is to be learned? Where will the student's skills be in this area a year from now? What are the specific quantifiable steps that can be used to measure progress?

What if the student has mastered a goal before the end of the school year?
Children grow and change rapidly. Their educational needs also change rapidly. If the IEP needs to revised more often than once a year, parents and educators can ask for a meeting to revise the IEP document. An IEP can be revised as often as necessary. This is done at least once a year at the annual review meeting.

What if the student has failed to reach a goal by the stated time?	Back to Top
If it becomes apparent that a student is "off track" on an annual goal and its related short-term objectives, an IEP meeting should be called to reexamine the delivery of instruction and the techniques used for the objectives, the relatedness of the objectives to the goal, and the appropriateness of the goal. The IEP should be revised as necessary.